Heating systems, and more specifically fireplaces, wood stoves and the like have been designed to burn fuel efficiently and provide great heat output. Known systems have employed door panels to allow access to the combustion chamber while providing a safe combustion environment. A door panel maintained in closed configuration can prevent combustion gases to escape from the combustion chamber elsewhere than the combustion gas outlet port and prevent the burning fuel to fall out from the combustion chamber.
Known door panels are equipped with one or more handles that allow for the doors to be operated in order to add fuel, clean the stove, or otherwise access the combustion chamber. Known handles are generally large and located on a front face of the door panel. Such configuration can be undesirable in a given decor.
The stove can also be equipped with a locking assembly allowing the door panel to be maintained in a closed configuration in order, for instance, to limit heat losses through a gap formed between the stove housing and the door panel and to ensure that the door panel remains in the closed configuration.
Generally, the locking assembly and the door handle are made of materials that are resistant to thermal stress, but typically conduct thermal loads. As such, the door handle and the locking assembly can become very hot and there is an increased risk of a user being burned while operating the door and the locking system. Moreover, some known locking assemblies require the operator to configure the door in a closed configuration and then, in a subsequent operation, to lock the door in place in order to maintain the door of the stove in a closed configuration.
In addition, some known locking assemblies are mounted on the stove door panel along with the door handle. This configuration of components can be aesthetically unpleasing in some decors. Contemporary designs asks for a more streamlined locking assembly and handle combination having, for example, the door handle not mounted on a front face of the door panel.
As such, there is a need for a streamlined and esthetically pleasing door handle that would be easily accessible while most of the locking assembly parts would be hidden. At the same time, those components need to remain at a comfortable temperature for the operator who operates the door and the locking assembly.
In view of the above, there is a need for a door locking assembly for a solid fuel burning stove which would be able to overcome or at least minimize some of the above-discussed prior art concerns.